Master of Music

Master of Music
Name	Master of Music
Abbreviation	MM, M.M., MMus
Type	Graduate degree
Field	Music
Awarded by	Conservatories, University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, Juilliard School, Royal College of Music, New England Conservatory, Curtis Institute of Music
Duration	1–3 years
Level	Postgraduate

Master of Music The Master of Music is a postgraduate degree in Music focusing on advanced study in performance, composition, conducting, pedagogy, and scholarly inquiry. Programs are offered by institutions such as the Juilliard School, Royal Academy of Music, New England Conservatory, Curtis Institute of Music, and Conservatoire de Paris, and interact with professional bodies including the American Guild of Organists, Royal College of Organists, International Society for Music Education, and national arts councils. The degree often bridges conservatory training exemplified by the Vienna Conservatory with university-based research traditions seen at the University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, and King's College London.

History and development

Graduate-level musical study evolved from 19th-century institutions such as the Conservatoire de Paris and the Royal Academy of Music that formalized advanced pedagogy for performers like Nadia Boulanger, Franz Liszt, and Clara Schumann. In the early 20th century, American schools including the Juilliard School and the New England Conservatory established postgraduate pathways influenced by European models and by composers such as Aaron Copland, George Gershwin, and Igor Stravinsky. Postwar expansion led universities like Harvard University, Yale University, and University of Michigan to integrate musicology and ethnomusicology with performance training, drawing on scholarship by figures associated with the American Musicological Society and the International Council for Traditional Music. Contemporary developments reflect interdisciplinary links to institutions such as the Royal College of Music, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Berklee College of Music, and funding schemes from bodies like the Arts Council England and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Degree structure and curriculum

Typical curricula combine individual instruction with ensemble work, seminars, and thesis or recital requirements at schools such as Curtis Institute of Music and Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Core elements may include applied lessons with faculty affiliated with the Royal Northern College of Music, coursework in music theory influenced by traditions from Schola Cantorum Basiliensis and Conservatoire de Paris, classes in musicology comparable to offerings at University of Oxford and University of Cambridge, and modules in ethnomusicology reflecting scholarship linked to the Society for Ethnomusicology. Students often complete a capstone recital or a research dissertation supervised by faculty from institutions like Yale School of Music, Columbia University, and University of California, Los Angeles. Program length varies across the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Hochschule für Musik und Theater München, and Sibelius Academy, with full-time tracks commonly spanning two academic years.

Specializations and concentrations

Programs typically offer concentrations in Instrumental performance (piano, violin, cello) with lineage tracing to pedagogues at Curtis Institute of Music and Royal College of Music faculty, vocal studies tied to traditions from La Scala and the Metropolitan Opera, composition linked to schools like Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and composers such as Philip Glass and Pierre Boulez, conducting rooted in lineages from Berlin Philharmonic and the Vienna Philharmonic, and music education connected to the International Society for Music Education. Other concentrations include Early music informed by the Monteverdi Choir and Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, Jazz influenced by Berklee College of Music and artists like Miles Davis, Music technology with collaborations involving MIT Media Lab and IRCAM, and music therapy associated with programs at University of Miami and professional organizations such as the American Music Therapy Association.

Admission and requirements

Admission often requires an audition judged by panels with members from institutions like the Royal Academy of Music, submission of transcripts from universities such as Indiana University, letters of recommendation by scholars linked to American Musicological Society or performers associated with Metropolitan Opera, and statements of purpose. Some programs request a portfolio of compositions or recordings, language proficiency tests (e.g., TOEFL for non-native applicants), and standardized credentials recognized by bodies such as the National Association of Schools of Music and regional accrediting agencies. Competitive fellowships and assistantships are offered by conservatories like the New England Conservatory and university departments at Yale School of Music or University of Michigan.

Professional outcomes and career paths

Graduates pursue careers as soloists and orchestral musicians in organizations such as the London Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Berlin Philharmonic; as conductors with ensembles like the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra or institutions such as the Metropolitan Opera; as composers commissioned by festivals like the BBC Proms and Tanglewood Music Festival; and as educators at conservatories and universities including University of Cambridge, Juilliard School, and Royal College of Music. Other paths include roles in arts administration at institutions such as the Lincoln Center, recording careers with labels like Deutsche Grammophon and Sony Classical, work in film and media with companies such as Warner Bros. Pictures and BBC Studios, and specialized professions in music therapy, publishing with houses like Schott Music, and research affiliated with the British Library and national archives.

Global variations and accreditation

Degree titles, durations, and accreditation differ across regions: European qualifications adhere to frameworks like the Bologna Process and national systems exemplified by the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München and the Conservatoire de Paris; North American degrees follow standards from the National Association of Schools of Music and institutions such as Juilliard School and Indiana University Jacobs School of Music; Australian and New Zealand programs at universities like the University of Melbourne and University of Auckland align with regional agencies and the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission. Accreditation and recognition involve bodies including the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, and professional organizations such as the International Federation of Musicians.

Category:Academic degrees in music